Women in Communications, Delta Chapter records, 1913-1990, bulk
1940-1960
A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives
Finding aid prepared by Rachel Edgren
Summary Information
Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Creator
Women in Communications, inc. Delta
Chapter (Indiana University)
TitleWomen in Communications, Delta Chapter
records,1913-1990,bulk
1940-1960
Collection No.
C454
Extent
3 cubic feet (3 boxes)
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
The Woman’s Press Club established the
Delta Chapter of Theta Sigma Phi at Indiana University in 1913 as a professional
sorority for women in journalism. Early on, their aim was to “unite women engaged in
or planning to engage in journalism; work to set and achieve definite standards in
journalism and letters; and inspire members to greater individual effort.” In 1972,
the group changed its name to Women in Communications. The collection consists of
scrapbooks, event files, newspaper articles, awards, meeting minutes, and other
administrative files.
Access Restrictions
Records relating to scholarship nominations and student grades are restricted.
Administrative History
In 1909, nine students at the University of Washington started Theta Sigma Phi as a
journalistic sorority for women. It soon became a national organization with
chapters at many universities with the Delta Chapter at Indiana University
established on March 14, 1913. Their mission was to “unite women engaged in or
planning to engage in journalism; work to set and achieve definite standards in
journalism and letters; and inspire members to greater individual effort.” Over
time, the group also began to push the advancement of women in communication
careers.
Over the years, this group hosted banquets and other activities, and played a large
part in journalistic activities at I.U. Two major events were the annual Matrix
table and Razzes. Once combined in one event, they were separated in 1935. The
Matrix table became the more formal banquet with guest speakers, usually prominent
women in journalistic or communication careers. Speakers included Antoinette
Donnelly, known as Doris Blake, beauty writer for the Chicago Tribune; Zona Gale,
author, playwright, and journalist for the New York World; Margaret Tuttle, novelist
and scenario writer; Genevieve Forbes Herrick, who was commissioned by the Chicago
Tribune to expose the treatment of immigrants; Margaret Ayer Barnes, winner of the
1931 Pulitzer prize as author of “Years of Grace”; Victoria Sackville-West,
prominent English novelist & poet; Margaret Weymouth Jackson, Indiana novelist
and short story writer. The Razzes, on the other hand, were more informal, themed
parties aimed at both honoring members and poking fun at them. Different themes
included Jail Cell (1929); Cleanliness (1941); This Manless World (1943); “Feed ‘em
a good meal; then slaughter ‘em” (1947); Circus (1949); Mother Goose Rhymes (1950);
Shakespeare (1951); Alice in Wonderland (1952); Little Orphan Antics (1953); The
Farce on the Cutting Room Floor (1954).
In 1972, the group changed its name to Women in Communications and while it is
unknown precisely when the group ceased to exist on campus, materials from this
collection date through 1990.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into three series: Scrapbooks, Administrative files, and
Event files.
Scope and Content Note
The Women in Communications records span 1913-1990 and are organized into three
series: Administrative files, Event files and Scrapbooks.
Arranged alphabetically and then chronologically by subject, the Administrative files
series spans the period 1913-1990. The items include constitutions and bylaws,
meeting minutes, annual reports as well as membership and pledge information.
The Event files series contains material from 1925-1972. The files include scripts,
related correspondence, tickets and invitations from the group’s conventions,
journalism banquets, and other programs.
Arranged chronologically, the Scrapbooks series contains books and binders full of
all sorts of material from 1944-1983, including event photographs, newspaper
clippings about the group, chapter awards, event flyers, chapter correspondence, and
Razz programs, invitations, and tickets.
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Indexing Terms
-
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
IUCAT, the IU Libraries'
online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by
searching the catalog using these terms.
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Separated Material
No material separated other than photographs.
Related Material
Additional records such as newsletters, annual reports, bulletins, and publications
may be accessed in the
Archives of Institutional Memory
Related photographs may be available in the
University Archives
Photographs Database
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Accession numbers: 2006/111
Usage RestrictionsThe donor(s) of this collection have not transferred their copyrights for the materials to the Trustees of Indiana University.
For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for
non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility
for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials.
Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these
materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.
Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational
and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its
inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Women in Communications, Delta Chapter records, Collection C454, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Provenance
Transferred to the IU Archives in October 2006. There was no active chapter of
the organization at the time of accession.
Appraisal
Blank pages and duplicates were weeded from the collection.
Processing InformationProcessed by Rachel Edgren.
Completed in 2012.
Container List
Series:
Box 1
Administrative Files, 1913-1990
Accomplishments & Awards, 1959-1990
Activity Reports, 1940-1964
Archives, 1955-1961
(5 photographs removed)
Bylaws, 1986-1988
Constitution and Bylaws (Delta), 1932-1961
General,
1915-1932
(Restricted Records Removed)
1933-1937
(Restricted Records Removed)
1938-1941
(Restricted Records Removed)
1942-1946
(Restricted Records Removed)
1947-1951
(Restricted Records Removed)
1952-1955
(Restricted Records Removed)
1956-1960
(Restricted Records Removed)
1960-1964
(Restricted Records Removed)
1968-1970
(Restricted Records Removed)
History – Complete, 1913-1949
Membership Lists, 1913-1988
(2 folders)
(1 Photograph removed)
Minutes,
1925-1931
1932-1936
1945-1949
1949-1950
1950-1951
1951-1954
1955
1958-1959
Miscellaneous, 1913-1989
(13 photographs removed)
Money-making Projects, 1959
National Headquarters Directory, 1936-1937
Nominations for Headliner Award - Delta Chapter, 1955-1968
(Restricted)
Officer Year End Reports, 1988-1989
Pledge Manual, 1957
Pledge Tests, 1952-1965
(Restricted Records Removed)
Professional Meetings, 1960-1961
Rituals, 1958-1967
Scholarship, 1958-1965
Scrapbook Materials,
1959-1960
(3 photographs removed)
1961-1962
Stationary & Forms, 1982-1990
Series:
Box 2
Event Files, 1921-1979
Convention,
1925-1940
1941
1953
Journalism Banquet, April
1972
Matrix,
1940-1947
(3 photographs removed)
1949
(1 photograph removed)
1950
(1 negative removed)
1951
1952
(1 photograph removed)
1953
1954
(4 negatives and 1 photograph removed)
1955
(1 photograph removed)
1956
1958
1959
1960
1961
(1 photograph removed)
General, 1921-1979
Magazine Contributions, 1955-1960
Milestones (National History 1909-1948), circa 1948
Table,
1957
1963
(2 photographs removed)
Publicity, 1967
Tickets & Invitations, 1955-1959
(4 photographs removed)
Research, 1921-196 2
Publicity Clinic, 1959
Razz Banquet Scripts, 1948-1956
Razz Banquet & Student Affairs Committee (1941), circa
1941
Razzes (Gridiron), 1949
Swing-in, Swing-out Parties, 1961
Talent Sparks Programs, 1953-1967
Restricted Records
Series:
Box 2
Scrapbooks, 1944-1983
General,
1944-1946
(Housed in Box 3)
1948-1949
1949-1950
1950-1951
1951-1952
Box 3
1954-1955
1955-1956
1956-1957
1958-1959
1959-1960
1966-1967
1976-1977
1982-1983